The Olympics represent humanity’s loftiest levels

The many hued, many sized Olympians who congregate every four years to participate and to try and strike gold, are of course the life of the party

Of all the spectacles which take place across the world periodically, the Olympics surely represent the most magnificent pinnacle. No other human endeavour can quite out do the sheer scale and grandeur of the Olympic games.

The fantastic sight of a fit, supple, energetic and supremely talented sportsperson tearing down the track or competing till the lungs burst, has no parallels. (PTI)

The many hued, many sized Olympians who congregate every four years to participate and to try and strike gold, are of course the life of the party. But the manifold organisers, volunteers, media persons, referees, score keepers, cooks, helpers, vendors, cleaning persons and security personnel et al, are an enveloping part of each edition of the Olympics as well.

The greatest show on earth truly brings out goosebumps when athletes come up with unparalleled feats. The fantastic sight of a fit, supple, energetic and supremely talented sportsperson tearing down the track or competing till the lungs burst, has no parallels. Perhaps only a musician who creates the most lilting of melodies, can compare, if we discuss Live performances from varied fields of human creativity.

The finest representatives of the human race show up at the Olympics and multiple nations, despite all their infirmities, send their very best to adorn the Olympic stage every four years. On display is the spectacular vastness of human diversity and onlookers are compelled to gape and gasp repeatedly as they witness these inspiring athletes in action. Over the decades, several athletes have outdone themselves and their predecessors on the biggest of all platforms simply because of the enormity of the occasion. While mediocrity is rarely in evidence at the Olympics and everyone does their best, the most brilliant of sportspersons spur themselves on to unimaginable levels of excellence due to the sheer loftiness of the Olympics stage.

Many disciplines, including high jump, javelin throw and pole vault competitions, as well as some races, often witness the shattering of records during the Olympics. Each competitor at the games is sure to try and exceed his or her best ever, although some falter due to unfamiliar conditions or sheer nerves.

When ace shooter Abhinav Bindra won India’s first ever individual gold and when Neeraj Chopra emulated him by hurling his javelin beyond all the efforts of his rivals, the hearts of fellow Indians pounded with pride. We also know that gold has been a scarce commodity for India’s Olympians, barring these two gentlemen and the glorious hockey champions of yore.

But an Indian fan need not only wait with bated breath for an Indian gold medallist to emerge in the ongoing Paris Olympics. He or she would do well to follow and applaud brilliant or even valiant performances from sportspersons of other nationalities. In fact, there is so much to learn and so many occasions to be inspired from during the Olympic fortnight, that our collective attention must be focused on the games at this time. Superstars such as Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Nadia Comaneci, Katie Ledecky and Edwin Moses have thrilled millions with their mind-boggling pursuit of excellence in sports. Their auras and their personas were palpably propelled to heavenly heights after their bagfuls of gold medals. The whole world loves a winner and there is nothing wrong with that.

India’s Olympic quest will see appreciable progress in the Paris games and beyond. But in the absence of iconic global role models during current times, sports champions are the finest examples of those who can inspire generations.

It is important for students to be shown live coverage of the games as far as possible. Institutions and homes should be abuzz with talk of the latest results and amazing feats in various disciplines of games.

The more our society indulges in playing and discussing sports, the better our nation’s vibes will be. The level of public discourse is rather pathetic these days, as we’re all aware. But at least the levels of private and group conversations can be wholesome. It is truly time to propel sports to the forefront of our collective consciousness. And there’s no better time to do so than whilst the Olympic games are on. If even a small percentage of those youngsters who are currently impressed by gangsters et al, can be inspired to follow Olympic champions as role models, the future might just brighten up a bit more.

vivek.atray@gmail.com